In praise of Hawk Harrelson

Sox broadcaster and Youkilis share history

White Sox announcer Hawk Harrelson is honored for his service at a 2010 game at U.S. Cellular Field. (Chris Sweda/Tribune Photo)

I can't help but wonder if Kevin Youkilis and Hawk Harrelson sparred in a playful game of "No, I had more fun than you did!" on the White Sox charter from Boston to Detroit Thursday night.

For Youkilis, the homecoming was met with resounding renditions of "YOOOUUUK!" as the two-time World Series champ put his signature on the four-game set early and often. Most notable was the third baseman's three-run home run over the fabled Green Monster in the fourth inning of Tuesday night's 7-5 White Sox win.

It wasn't a garden variety dinger. Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine, who was eager to kick Youkilis to the curb when spring training opened, had Jon Lester challenge Youkilis with first base open. He paid for thinking with his — in Harrelson lingo — cojones.

Youkilis' bomb also marked the first time in more than 40 years that a former Red Sox player, who was traded during the season, returned to Fenway Park to homer against the home team. The last guy to do that? Harrelson.

For Harrelson, the annual return to Boston always puts additional jump in his step. It was where he enjoyed his finest days as a ballplayer, performing at career-high levels on the 1967 American League champs and again in '68, when he would have copped MVP honors if not for a late-summer bout with hemorrhoids. He drove in a league-high 109 runs and finished third in MVP voting.

When Harrelson returned in '69 in a Cleveland uniform, Red Sox fans picketed outside the ballpark and threatened to no longer purchase tickets.

The Sox television voice told the Tribune he's never seen a player swing a team's fortunes as quickly as Youkilils has.

"I've never seen a guy who'd been struggling change uniforms and then everything just comes together," Harrelson said of Youkilis, who had driven in 18 runs with six game-winning RBI entering Thursday's series finale. "We were dead last in production out of the third base position. We went from the (out)house to the penthouse. And I didn't know he was that good of a third baseman."

On critics: "Grab some bench!": Whether you love or loathe his style — and I've done both — it is undeniable that Harrelson has been one of the city's most-colorful, larger-than-life personalities in the last 30 years.

He turns on the youngsters to old-school baseball jargon with "a can o' corn." Makes them giggle with "a Matt A-bat-a-cola." Then Hawk turns them off with incessant glory days tales of Jim Lonborg, Tony Oliva and his beloved "Yaz."

Then he drops a Dick "Turkey Neck" Hall on me (the former Baltimore right-hander he likened to Dodgers pitcher Aaron Harang) and I almost wet myself.

Do Harrelson's critics get under his skin?

"They don't bother me one bit," Harrelson said. "Howard Cosell and Curt Gowdy told me a long time ago the guys who worry about that don't last very long."

On Sox' chances: "Hell, Yeah!": An unapologetic homer, Harrelson believes the White Sox can make the postseason. An improved club defensively has the '71 Sports Illustrated cover boy buzzing.

"We've only missed three cutoff men all year," Harrelson raved. "Robin (Ventura) has done an outstanding job, creating such a settling influence on this team. This a team with 10 rookies on it. We just can't afford any more injuries."

On Sox feuds: "Dadgummit!": There is one White Sox tradition Harrelson would love to see scrapped. It's the need for former team employees to throw darts from a distance after they leave the organization. And the exchanges go both ways.

"I've thought a lot about it and it bothers me," said Harrelson, who turns 71 in September. "It seems to be fashionable today to do it that way. I don't get it. When the Red Sox traded me, I called Mr. (Tom) Yawkey and thanked him for everything he'd done. They had a backlash from fans who were upset so I made calls to season ticket holders who threatened to cancel and asked them to reconsider.

"I don't know if (former players and Guillen) are embarrassed or hurt, but there's just no call for it."

The 10th inning: "Stretch!": I've known Harrelson for 25 years. As a man, he's aces. In spring training several years ago, we were shooting the breeze about baseball, golf and life.

He made one brief statement that indelibly is etched in my brain: "Dangerous, I don't regret one day of my life."

And I don't regret one inning of his broadcasts. Yeah, he gets under my skin sometimes, but we all will miss him when "he gone."

Special contributor Dan McNeil hosts "The McNeil and Spiegel Show" weekdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on WSCR-AM 670.